The Vatican has formally responded to the findings of the Cloyne report and to criticism levelled against it by the Government in the wake of its publication.
In a 20-page statement issued this morning, the Vatican vigorously rejects accusations that it sabotaged efforts by Irish bishops to report priests who sexually abused children to Gardaí.
In July of this year the Cloyne report was published detailing a litany of abuse complaints against 19 priest in diocese in Cork.
The inquiry found how the diocese failed to report nine out of 15 complaints of child sex abuse made against priests between 1996 and 2005 when child protection procedures were already in place.
It also revealed how the former Bishop John Magee misled a previous inquiry and gave a false account of how he was handling allegations.
Crucially the report found that a decision by the Vatican to categorise a framework document on child sexual abuse, agreed by the Irish Bishops Conference in 1996, as "not an official document " effectively gave individual Irish Bishops the freedom to ignore the guidelines.
The findings prompted the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to make a landmark speech and launch a scathing attack against the Vatican - describing their attitude as "dysfunctional" and "elitist".
Today, the Vatican gave their response to these criticisms.
In a statement to the Government the Vatican said that Enda Kenny's claims, were "unfounded" and based on an incorrect reading of a 1997 Vatican letter expressing "serious reservations" about the Irish bishops' 1996 policy requiring bishops to report abusers to Gardaí.
The Vatican also rejected accusations it diminished the policy's seriousness, saying the bishops themselves never sought to make it binding.
It also states that there is no evidence in the Cloyne report to suggest that the Holy See meddled in the internal affairs of the Irish State or, for that matter, was involved in the day-to-day management of Irish dioceses or religious congregations with respect to sexual abuse issues.
“In particular, the accusation that the Holy See attempted ’to frustrate an Inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic as little as three years ago, not three decades ago’, which Mr Kenny made no attempt to substantiate, is unfounded,” the Vatican said.
A Government spokesperson has said the Vatican's reaction to the report is now "being considered" by the Taoiseach and Government Ministers.
In a 20-page statement issued this morning, the Vatican vigorously rejects accusations that it sabotaged efforts by Irish bishops to report priests who sexually abused children to Gardaí.
In July of this year the Cloyne report was published detailing a litany of abuse complaints against 19 priest in diocese in Cork.
The inquiry found how the diocese failed to report nine out of 15 complaints of child sex abuse made against priests between 1996 and 2005 when child protection procedures were already in place.
It also revealed how the former Bishop John Magee misled a previous inquiry and gave a false account of how he was handling allegations.
Crucially the report found that a decision by the Vatican to categorise a framework document on child sexual abuse, agreed by the Irish Bishops Conference in 1996, as "not an official document " effectively gave individual Irish Bishops the freedom to ignore the guidelines.
The findings prompted the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to make a landmark speech and launch a scathing attack against the Vatican - describing their attitude as "dysfunctional" and "elitist".
Today, the Vatican gave their response to these criticisms.
In a statement to the Government the Vatican said that Enda Kenny's claims, were "unfounded" and based on an incorrect reading of a 1997 Vatican letter expressing "serious reservations" about the Irish bishops' 1996 policy requiring bishops to report abusers to Gardaí.
The Vatican also rejected accusations it diminished the policy's seriousness, saying the bishops themselves never sought to make it binding.
It also states that there is no evidence in the Cloyne report to suggest that the Holy See meddled in the internal affairs of the Irish State or, for that matter, was involved in the day-to-day management of Irish dioceses or religious congregations with respect to sexual abuse issues.
“In particular, the accusation that the Holy See attempted ’to frustrate an Inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic as little as three years ago, not three decades ago’, which Mr Kenny made no attempt to substantiate, is unfounded,” the Vatican said.
A Government spokesperson has said the Vatican's reaction to the report is now "being considered" by the Taoiseach and Government Ministers.
